DONKEY EYES

DAY 73:     If you were raised in Sunday school you know the story of Balaam and his donkey.  It's a Sunday school teacher's ringer for a disruptive four-year-old class.  I really like it, too. Among other things, it reminds me that God is an animal lover. 

Balaam is a seer who lived a good bit away from a ruckus that was stirring as the nation of Israel, after 40 years of wandering in the dessert, finally begins its approach to the Promised Land.  It had been an eventful journey for the two million plus Israelites as the nations they passed by kept challenging them.  But God was with His people and He gave them military victory over those who came against them.

Now they were approaching the people of Moab - historical cousins to Israel.  Moabites were descended from Abraham's nephew Lot.  They were aware of their distant connection but were fearful as the mob headed their way, not because of violence, but for crowd control.

^{Numbers 22:4} The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.”

Moab was afraid they would consume all the resources so they made a plan.  They would seek out a renowned "diviner" who was known for his ability to effectively curse nations.  They were ready to pay big money to have Israel cursed.  When they located Balaam, they asked for the curse but left out all the details about the miracles that were part of Israel's story - like the exodus, their survival in the dessert and their recent victories over other nations.  Perhaps they were afraid the "wise man" wouldn't feel confident.  It does not seem he was a God appointed prophet. Somehow, though, Balaam knew who the wandering people were because he says he must ask Yahweh, the specific name for Israel's God what to do. So he invites the Moabite messengers to be his guests and stay the night while he tries to determine God's will.

In the night, probably in a dream, God confronts Balaam and forbids him to go with the Moabites or curse Israel, so Balaam sends the Moab emissaries home.  They come back with more money. Balaam says he will ask God again.  God was very clear the first time, but since Balaam makes it equally clear he wants to disobey God, God tells him to go, but not to curse.  So off they go for the long journey with Balaam aloft his faithful donkey.  Here comes the good part.

 ²¹ Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials. ²² But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. ²³ When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it to get it back on the road.

Three times the donkey freaks out and refuses to go forward.  Each time Balaam beats the donkey.  It seems the seer could not see the angel, but the donkey could.  Perhaps the donkey should have been hired.  On the third time the angel blocked the road God opened the donkeys mouth and told Balaam what was happening.

³¹ Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell face down.
 ³² The angel of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.^{[a] 33} The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared it.” 

God would have spared the donkey even if He had decided to punish Balaam. That makes me smile.  God is definitely an animal lover. Okay, so that is not the point of the story, but I still see God's compassion extended to the creatures He has made.

Moving on: The rest of the story reveals that God allows Balaam to go with the Moabites but instead of cursing Israel, as they had expected, Balaam obeys God's command and blesses Israel.  If you haven't read the story yet, you'll love it.  The surprise ending gets them every time.

So what did I get from this classic Bible story? Often when I read I am looking for "me" in the story.  Am I the dumb donkey God used as a prophet?  Am I the "prophet" who cant' really see the obvious? Am I the Moabites setting myself against God's purposes?  Am I trying to get God to follow me? I'm sure I'm one of those.  Today though, I am struck by another perspective; before it is about me, it is about Him. Instead of looking for me in the story first, I should be looking for what I can learn about God.

God's works reveal truths about God that are of far more significance than the truths they reveal about man.  
So, what did I learn about God from this story? 

• It is God who blesses and God who curses for His own purposes. 
• God can use anyone, even a donkey, to do His work. Not a bad thing to remember when I feel impressed with myself. 
• God allows disobedience, but uses even that for His glory.
• God does not approve of everything He allows. 
• God can extend His protection even to those on the wrong path if He so choose.

All of these truths mean something to me in my life right now.  And each one is far more powerful than any truth I might learn about myself!  

Better to be the donkey who has eyes to see God, 
than a "wise man" who can't see past himself. 

Day 74 of 365
Numbers 22:21-41
Numbers 23
Luke 1:57-80
Psalm 58:1-11
Proverbs 11:12-13